The Beginning
When he looked back ... next few days.
"Wait! What?" Blaise said. "A whole month has passed?"
It was as though ... the following morning.
"Our brains do that to protect us," Claudius said.
They did not blame him ... beyond tears.
Mrs Diggory smiled sadly at Harry.
"He suffered very little then," ... He must have been happy."
Cedric grimaced. He didn't want to hear this. It felt like a physical pain in his chest to hear his parents' grief.
When they got ... you take it -"
Again, Harry received several disbelieving looks.
But she backed away ... you keep it."
Galenius grimaced. The boy clearly needed a mind healer. He shouldn't have been left to deal with all this alone.
Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower ... what had happened in the maze.
"What are the chances anyone actually obeyed that?" Tonks asked.
Most people, he noticed ... possibly dangerous he was.
The teachers all exchanged looks, trying to remember how the other students had treated Harry.
Perhaps they were formulating ... they played chess.
Claudius grimaced. While he certainly needed peace, he needed to talk to someone too.
He felt as though all three ... Dursleys, at least at first."
Sirius glared at Albus.
"Why?" ... we've got to trust him, haven't we?"
That earned some quiet laughter from the golden trio.
The only person apart ... "Harry!"
"Oh good," Galenius said. "Perhaps he'll talk to Hagrid."
He strode out ... "You two made up, have you?" said Ron.
Hagrid blushed.
"Dunno what yeh're talkin' about," ... "Course yeh're not. But yeh will be."
Harry frowned. It felt like his life was just made up of traumas. And there was never enough time between them for him to recover.
Harry said nothing ... 'S long as we've got him, I'm not too worried."
Albus sighed at the display of loyalty. People really put far too much faith in him.
Hagrid raised his bushy eyebrows ... no higher praise than that."
Sirius patted Harry on the back.
Harry smiled back ... Think I got her persuaded."
"Isn't it obvious?" Blaise asked. "He's the envoy to the giants."
"Is it to do with Voldemort?" ... looks on their faces.
"Some of the skrewts were still alive?" Augusta asked, horrified.
It was with a heavy heart ... his return to Privet Drive.
The two Vernons glared.
"He shouldn't be going back there," Amelia said crossly.
He was dreading ... a mark of respect to Cedric.
The hufflepuffs all had tears in their eyes.
The real Mad-Eye Moody ... Voldemort had caught up with him.
"He won't last long," Dolohov said. Karkaroff was a dead man walking.
Madame Maxime was still there ... His expression was difficult to read.
"Probably concern," Severus said. "As much as my older self seemed to hate you, he was duty bound to protect you."
He looked as sour ... Voldemort himself, biding his time?
"I imagine I went immediately," Severus said. "Better to get it over and done with."
Harry's musings ... to Cedric Diggory."
Mrs Diggory was crying once more.
They did it, all of them; ... knew him well or not.
Cedric was honoured by the words, bowing his head slightly in modesty.
I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."
"Albus!" Mrs Weasley said. "Surely not!"
"It does them no good to hide the truth from them," Albus said gently. He might not agree with much that his older self had done, but he couldn't deny that he would never send out the entire student body of Hogwarts into the world unprepared for the evil waiting for them. No. Not even for a summer.
Harry raised his head ... murdered by Lord Voldemort."
Several people were crying now.
A panicked whisper ... "does not wish me to tell you this.
"Like that would ever stop him," Alastor said.
It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so -
"They need to know," Augusta said sharply.
either because they will not believe ... young as you are.
"They are too young!" Mrs Weasley cried.
It is my belief, however, ... an insult to his memory."
Amos nodded his head in agreement.
Stunned and frightened ... anger in his stomach.
Draco grimaced. He wanted his cousin to like him.
He forced himself ... flicking back to face Dumbledore.
Harry sighed. He had hated that. Having everyone stare at him like that. Even if it was fleeting.
"Harry Potter managed ... I honor him."
"Damn right!" George said.
Dumbledore turned gravely ... their goblets untouched.
Narcissa sighed. She couldn't blame Draco for his actions. He had a part to play. Just like they all did.
Dumbledore ... more important than ever before."
Xenophilius Lovegood smiled. That was certainly true. But the international community was unlikely to help them. Not with this. Not when they knew just how unbalanced the British wizarding world had become.
Dumbledore looked from Madame Maxime ... expected Dumbledore to say something harsh.
"I did," Krum said.
"Every guest in this Hall," ... aims are identical and our hearts are open.
"You got to give it to Dumbledore," Kingsley said. "The man has style."
"It is my belief ... Remember Cedric Diggory."
They were all quiet. More than a few people had tears in their eyes.
Harry's trunk was packed ... The thought gave him no pleasure at all.
"Ungrateful brat," Vernon huffed, causing Sirius to glower at him.
"'Arry!" ... to improve my Eenglish."
Fleur and Bill exchanged smiles.
"It's very good already," ... Hermione scowled.
Hermione blushed at how obviously jealous she had been.
"Good-bye, 'Arry," ... let us do the vork."
"He's not the best headmaster," young Krum said.
Krum had come to say good-bye ... "The carriages'll be here in a minute!"
Harry rolled his eyes. Merlin, the next book was going to be awful with all their drama.
He let Harry keep a watch ... with Karkaroff," he added, scowling.
Cedric smiled. From what he'd seen in the book, he quite liked Krum too. He hoped that even without the triwizard tournament they might still become friends.
"Have you got a new headmaster ... "Can I have your autograph?"
Almost all the lions laughed loudly.
Hermione turned away ... Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet."
Alastor nodded. That was exactly the sort of thing the minister would do.
"He'll never keep Rita quiet," ... Not unless she wants me to spill the beans on her."
Amelia leaned forward intrigued against her better judgement.
"What are you talking about?" ... "How was she doing it?" said Harry at once.
Rita folded her arms across her chest.
"How did you find out?" ... "Bugging," said Hermione happily.
"Huh? What does she mean bugging?" Astoria whispered to her older self, who merely shrugged in equal confusion.
"But you said they didn't work -" ... an unregistered Animagus. She can turn -"
Tonks gave Hermione a wide smile. That was quite clever of her.
Hermione pulled a small sealed glass jar out other bag.
"Why does she have a jar?" Daphne asked.
"Please do not tell me that you have Rita Skeeter in that jar, Miss Granger," Amelia said with a sigh. "Criminals the lot of them," she muttered to herself.
Hermione grimaced, not meeting Madam Bones's eye.
"- into a beetle." ... brandishing the jar at them.
"Hermione!" Mrs Granger looked at her daughter in horror.
"You can't trap people in jars," Mr Granger said with a small groan.
Inside were a few twigs and leaves and one large, fat beetle.
"I feel obliged to point out that this is illegal," Amelia said. Although she wasn't sure why she was bothering.
Mrs Weasley was staring at Hermione in disbelief.
"That's kind of Slytherin of you, Granger," Blaise Zabini said, finding himself entertained by the idea of the perfect golden girl breaking the law quite so blatantly.
"That's never ... foul glasses she wears."
"My glasses are very stylish, I'll have you know," Rita said snidely.
Harry looked ... horrible stuff about us and Hagrid."
Draco shrugged. It was true enough.
Hermione took the glass jar back ... habit of writing horrible lies about people."
"I want her arrested!" Rita said, pointing at Hermione.
"It hasn't happened yet," Amelia said.
"But she did it!" Rita cried. "I demand..."
"Oh, shut up, Rita," Tonks muttered. "We've not imprisoned you for your illegal Animagus status so what makes you think we'll arrest Hermione?"
Smiling serenely ... "Very clever. Granger," said Draco Malfoy.
Narcissa sighed. Why was Draco always drawing Potter into confrontations?
Crabbe and Goyle were standing ... Big deal."
Lucius shook his head. He hated how his position as a death eater affected Draco. While he didn't doubt that Draco enjoyed these confrontations, he also knew that at least some of it was a result of his son's need to keep up appearances.
His smirk widened ... "Trying to pretend it hasn't happened?"
The adults in the chamber shook their heads at the childish argument. They really needed to do something about the interhouse issues.
"Get out," ... "You've picked the losing side, Potter!
"I was a right idiot." Draco gave an apologetic shrug.
I warned you! ... Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first!
Narcissa sighed in disapproval.
Well - second - Diggory was the f-"
"YOU!" Amos stood abruptly.
"Apologise, Draco," Lucius said sharply.
Draco was on his feet before his father finished demanding an apology. "I sincerely apologise, Lord and Lady Diggory."
Amos nodded his chin minutely but his expression remained cold.
It was as though someone ... he followed Fred inside.
"You deserved that," Narcissa said softly.
Draco simply nodded.
"Interesting effect," ... rolled the door shut.
The Gryffindors struggled not to laugh at the description of the three Slytherins injuries.
"Exploding Snap, anyone?" ... "Who you were blackmailing?"
Mrs Weasley leaned forward eagerly.
"Oh," ... "We've given up," said George, shrugging.
Fred and George were looking at older George in surprise. That wasn't like them.
But Harry, Ron, and Hermione ... it was Ludo Bagman."
"WHAT?" Mrs Weasley demanded.
"Bagman?" ... He wouldn't have the brains."
"Not wrong there," Alastor smirked.
"Well, what, then?" ... the Irish mascots."
"He did?" Amelia asked in surprise. She couldn't believe it. She knew Ludo had a gambling problem. But to think he'd steal from children!
"So?" ... George laughed very bitterly.
"Don't be so gullible," Blaise laughed.
"Yeah, that's what we thought ... he wasn't giving us anything."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur asked.
George shrugged.
"So we asked for our money back," ... "But that was all your savings!" said Ron.
"That despicable double crossing...!" Mrs Weasley began to rant.
"Tell me about it," ... Bet against the goblins."
"Moron," Filius muttered. "You should never make a bet with a goblin."
"So that's why he kept trying to help ... right after the third task."
That got a round of laughter from practically everyone in the chamber. The idea of Ludo Bagman being chased off by a hoard of Goblins had them all in peels of laughter.
George sighed deeply ... "Fred - George - wait a moment."
Ron eyed the book suspiciously. Was this when Harry gave them his winnings?
The twins turned ... he thrust the sack into George's hands.
"You really weren't keen to keep those winnings," Charlie said softly.
"What?" ... trying to push it back at Harry.
"Mental," Fred said.
"Definitely mental," George agreed.
"He can't be serious, Georgie," Fred said.
"I think he just might, Freddie."
"No, I'm not," ... It's for the joke shop."
Mrs Weasley smiled softly. Harry really believed in her boys.
"He is mental," Fred said in an almost awed voice.
A couple people laughed to hear the book repeat the twins words and their own thoughts.
"Listen," ... more than usual before long."
"He's not wrong," Lee said.
"And we are hilariously good," George started.
"At providing laughter," Fred said.
"The kings of pranks," George said.
"The punning princes," Fred added.
"The..."
"That's enough, boys," Arthur said with a chuckle.
"Harry," said George weakly ... "Just don't tell your mum where you got it...
Mrs Weasley shook her head in mock chagrin.
although she might not be ... come to think of it..."
Molly nodded weakly. He wasn't wrong.
"Harry," Fred began ... I know some good ones now.
"It's rude to refuse a gift," Theo said gently.
Just do me one favor, ... say they're from you."
Ron blushed. He hadn't realised that Harry had been the one to arrange for his dress robes.
He left the compartment ... Keep in touch, Harry."
Sirius was glaring at the Dursleys. But he was not the only one.
"See you, Harry," ... he would have to meet it when it did.
"That's very brave of you," Luna said with a sad smile.